Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
“ O w.” Serenity’s eyes squeezed tight as a heavy, throbbing pain became evident in her head. Her face felt like it was on fire and someone was using a jackhammer against her temple.
“Hold still, Miss Michaels,” a woman’s voice said. “You’re going to be just fine. But we need to finish stitching that cut.”
“Cut?” Serenity stretched her jaw, willing her eyes to open, but they felt like lead weights. “Ow.” Her eyes jerked open at the sharp pinch in her cheek.
Someone cursed under their breath, and Serenity’s gaze darted to the side. “What’s going on?” She was surrounded by several people she didn’t know. Their scrubs and the white walls indicated she was in a medical facility.
“Told you we should’ve put her out,” a man grumbled.
The woman to Serenity’s left gave the man a sharp glare. “Ms. Michaels, we’re just finishing up the last stitch in your cheek. I’m sorry the numbing agent isn’t as good, you weren’t awake to tell us if you felt anything.” She frowned. “We used a local, but it must be wearing off early. Do you think you can hold still for another two minutes?”
Serenity’s breathing began to pick up. “Where…where am I? What’s going on?”
“You’re at the emergency room,” the woman explained. “You were brought in after a break in at your shop.” The woman’s gray eyebrows pulled together. “Do you remember anything?”
“Seri.”
Serenity gasped. She knew that voice. “Luca? Luca?” Her head jerked, causing more cursing and more pain as she looked for her savior. She didn’t care to examine why she needed to see him, but she did. Flashes were coming back to her, and somehow she knew that if Luca was there, she’d be safe. She’d be fine.
“Here.” Luca’s face appeared above her as the older nurse stepped back. “Just hold still, okay? They’re almost done.”
Serenity didn’t even bother to nod, just stared. Luca gave her a sad smile, his eyes looking tired, but to his credit, he never looked away.
Slowly, Serenity reached a hand up and Luca didn’t even hesitate before taking hold of it, but a second later, he reached across his body with his opposite hand.
“Your shoulder,” she whispered. She’d been so caught up in staring into his dark eye that she hadn’t even noticed he was missing a sleeve and a bright white bandage was wrapped around his upper arm. “What happened?”
Luca glanced at his arm, then back down and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
Serenity blinked. Her eyes still wanted to close. “I…I was robbed.”
Luca hesitated, then nodded.
“He…” Her vision grew blurry. “He pointed…a…” Her breathing grew ragged, and she couldn’t get her words out. The trauma and adrenaline were coming back, and she wasn’t sure how to handle it hitting her all at once.
“Shhh…” Luca bent down, bringing his forehead to hers.
Serenity closed her eyes, sighing at the contact.
“We don’t have to talk about it,” he whispered huskily. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”
Serenity’s eyes shot open. “The gun!” she shouted. “Your arm! The gun!”
Luca backed up and sighed, looking defeated. He let go of her hand to scrub at his face. “It’s just a graze,” he assured her.
Tears were pouring down the side of her face now. “He shot you.” The words felt thick on her tongue. “He shot you and tried to rob me.”
Luca shook his head. “He didn’t shoot me. The bullet missed.” His free hand pushed some hair off her forehead. “I’m fine,” he assured her. “It’s you I’m worried about.” Luca’s eyebrows pulled together. “Your cheek is all cut up, and you have a concussion.”
The worker who’d been finishing her stitches grunted and began wiping down her skin. “The numbness will wear off fully in about a half hour,” he muttered. Gathering his supplies, the worker left.
“Don’t mind him,” the older nurse said quickly, coming around to Serenity’s free side. “He’s always grumpy.”
Serenity wanted to smile, but her cheek was still burning and the tears were still trickling. She just couldn’t bring herself to smile about anything right now. “Thank you,” she choked out. “Thank you for saving me.”
Luca’s good eye studied her face before he nodded firmly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there first.”
Serenity shook her head. “I shouldn’t have gone in by myself. I…I should have called someone when I found the door open…but…” Serenity closed her eyes and tried to hold back another sob.
She was completely out of control. Terror mixed with self loathing, followed by a sense of vulnerability that she’d never experienced before. Weakness and betrayal were familiar. She’d been hit with them years before on a level that she wasn’t sure she’d survive.
But this was different. She felt as if something precious had been broken, and that she’d never truly be safe again.
Unless she was with Luca.
He’d saved her. He’d come for her. He’d taken a bullet for her.
Her heart fought back and forth. She should be angry with him, but instead all she wanted was to be close. None of this fit in her neat little boxes she kept her life in.
Luca shook his head. “It’s okay,” he assured her. “You’re safe now,” he said again. “Safe. No one’s going to hurt you again.”
“How do you know?” Serenity gasped. “You can’t know that. You can’t stop bad things from happening to me.”
Luca didn’t respond, but his face settled into something fierce and determined. “You’re right,” he admitted. “But while I’m here, I promise to do all I can to help you. With the building and with you personally.”
It wasn’t enough, but it helped.
While I’m here.
They weren't supposed to, but those words felt ominous. She almost argued with him, but Serenity bit her tongue to hold back. She wasn’t herself at the moment and needed to stop and think.
She shouldn't do this. Shouldn’t get so attached. Just last night, she’d stayed up almost all night because her emotions were so volatile. Now she was practically throwing herself at her ex-boyfriend. The man who left her without a word for years.
She let her head fall back and closed her eyes again. Everything hurt, from her toes to her crown, from her stomach to her heart. Maybe right now wasn’t the right time to be making any kind of decisions or declarations.
She shouldn’t, but somehow trusted Luca to keep his word. He would keep her safe, but he’d also made it clear he wasn’t staying.
She just needed to focus on this project and then let it all go. If Luca wanted her or wanted a second chance, he would have let her know. But he didn’t come apologizing, he came to fix her shop. She had to remember that. No matter how scared she was, how protected he made her feel.She had to remember.
Serenity swallowed and ignored how the pain in her heart was growing stronger by the minute. The tears continued to slip down her cheeks, and she hoped everyone thought it was because of her robbery.
“Just rest,” the nurse’s voice said softly. “The doctor will be in shortly, and we’ll see about getting you somewhere more comfortable.”
Serenity could only pray that the nurse was right.
Luca couldn't look away. Serenity looked so fragile at the moment. Tears were trickling out the side of her eyes, her cheeks were scratched and red and bruised, and her pale skin even paler than normal. Her hair lay in a tangle on the pillow, begging him to smooth it down and make her more comfortable.
But Luca kept his hands to himself.
How was he ever going to move on after this? He wanted to fight every battle, every trial, every tiny bit of suffering that came her way. He wanted to stand between her and the world, and right now…she might let him.
But Luca knew Serenity well enough to know that this vulnerability wouldn’t last. She was a fighter. She’d always been a fighter, which was why their relationship had worked so well.
No woman with a man in the military could be weak. The relationship couldn’t survive the distance imposed upon them if one side was weak.
Eventually, Serenity would be back in her right mind, and she wouldn’t be reaching for his hand or desperate to see a familiar face like she’d been when she woke up.
He wasn’t delusional, Luca knew that’s all it was. Anyone waking up in a place other than where they went unconscious would feel the same way.
“Girl, if you think this is going to help your independent woman image, you’re—” Shiloh stopped, mouth wide open, and blinked several times before recovering her shock. “Well, if it isn’t the man of the hour,” she said, with a huff. “I almost didn’t recognize you, Butch. That’s quite a look you have going there.”
“Shiloh,” Luca said with a formal nod. Serenity’s best friend had always been a little loud, but she had a kind heart and Luca had liked her while they were growing up together. He glanced at Serenity one more time to see her looking up at him. “It looks like you’ll be in good hands,” he whispered.
“Luca…” Serenity’s hand shook as it came up, but she dropped it before making contact. “Thank you.”
Luca nodded again. He didn’t need her thanks. He just needed to see her get better…from the wounds inside and out. He, more than most, knew that trauma like this left scars that no one else would ever see.
He began to walk toward the door. “Take care of her,” he said in an aside to Shiloh.
Shiloh frowned. “I do my best,” she whispered back.
They were going to think he was a bobble head if he didn’t stop nodding like an idiot. Once Luca was out of Serenity’s room, he took a deep breath. He needed to get a little distance between him and Serenity.
The urge to hold her was getting overwhelming again, and he needed to make a clean break for the moment.
After signing out, he headed into the misty afternoon. They’d been at the emergency care longer than he cared to admit, but Luca hadn’t been willing to leave Serenity’s side.
With Shiloh there, however, it was safe to go. Serenity would be alright with her friend at her side.
Rubbing his head, Luca tried to figure out how he was going to get back to his truck when another familiar vehicle pulled up.
Tate rolled down the window. “And here we always thought you were the smart one,” he said with a smirk.
Luca rolled his eyes, ignoring the mounting headache and climbed into the passenger seat of the SUV. “My truck is at the shop.”
“Figures.” Tate didn’t get going right away, instead sitting with his arm across the steering wheel, watching Luca.
“What?” Luca asked.
“Are you okay?” Tate asked, his voice softer and the teasing gone.
Luca took a breath. “I’m fine.”
“How bad?”
Luca shook his head. “Serenity took the brunt of it. I just got grazed.”
Tate pinched his lips together, then put the SUV in drive and began to move. “Did you see her afterward?”
“Yeah. Shiloh’s with her now.”
Tate grunted. “Did the creep try to?—”
“No,” Luca said too quickly. He closed his eyes, trying to get rid of the image that Tate had just created. If Luca had come in to find someone trying to hurt Serenity that way, he was pretty sure he’d have committed murder. No questions asked. It had been hard enough to see him pinning her down.
Tate blew out a breath. “What now?”
Luca looked out the window. “Now I get back to work and let her heal.”
Tate huffed. “That’s it? You don’t think we should do more?”
Luca glared over at his brother. “What more is there to do? I’m not the one she’s going to turn to, Tate. That bridge was burned ages ago. She needs people like Shiloh, not her ex-boyfriend.”
Tate pushed a hand through his hair. “I suppose I can see the logic in that, but…Shiloh can’t help protect her the way you can.” He glanced sideways at Luca. “She’s probably gonna have some fear, ya know?”
Luca nodded. “I know.”
“What happened to the dude, by the way? I didn’t get anything on that.”
“I knocked him out and got rid of the gun.” Luca shifted his arm, it was starting to ache now that the medication they’d given him was wearing off. “The police took it from there.”
“Surprised you didn’t rip his head off,” Tate muttered.
“The thought crossed my mind,” Luca retorted with a dark chuckle. “But…”
“What?”
“But I was in too much of a hurry to take care of Serenity. She was in a bad way.” Luca swallowed hard, still remembering how limp she felt in his arms. For just a split second there in the hospital, she hadn’t been haunted by their past. Instead, she’d looked for him, looked for Luca to hold her steady.
It was a role he was all too familiar with. Serenity had never been clingy, but Luca had always been the protector. Always. Everybody in town knew that Luca could be counted on for anything…but Serenity was the one who’d shown him the most gratitude, the one who whispered sweet words in his ears and hugged him tightly when his back ached and his limbs hung from fatigue.
He’d been her rock, but she’d also been his.
Luca scrubbed his good hand down his face. He had to get back to work. His mind was wandering to all sorts of scenarios and memories that weren’t going to help him. When Serenity wasn’t so scared, she’d go right back to hating him.
Which was exactly as it should be.
“Want me to help you load up the gear?” Tate asked as he pulled into Serenity’s parking lot.
Luca shook his head. “No. I’m gonna get a few hours of work in before dragging it home.”
“Luc—”
“I need to work,” Luca interrupted, not looking at his brother. After a minute, he pushed down his frustration and glanced over. “It’s all I’ve got right now, Tate.”
Tate closed his eyes and nodded. “Fine. But if you reopen your stitches, I’ll let your sorry hide walk home.”
Luca gave his brother a half smirk. “Understood.” Opening the door, he hopped down and walked around to the back, the scene almost exactly how he’d left it. His equipment was sprawled on the ground as he’d gone running, but this time the door was closed and Serenity wasn’t screaming.
Taking a deep breath to push down the lingering panic at the memory of Serenity’s terror, Luca made his way inside. He’d wear himself out and hopefully tonight, he’d be able to sleep. It was the only way to overcome the scenes flashing through his head and the emotions pecking at his chest. Good, hard work. It was all he had.